1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a hydrodynamic torque converter with a pump wheel, a turbine wheel, and a stator which form a hydrodynamic circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
A hydrodynamic torque converter provided with a pump wheel, a turbine wheel, and a stator, which combine to form a hydrodynamic circuit, is known from DE 101 31 768 A1. As a result of the flow conditions in the hydrodynamic circuit, the turbine wheel can be deflected axially toward the pump wheel in “pull” mode and in the opposite direction in “push” mode and is in working connection with a first component of the freewheel by means of at least one axial bearing on the drive side of the freewheel and at least one drive-side thrust washer. The first freewheel component is formed by an outer body, which holds the stator hub. On the takeoff side, the outer body is supported against the pump wheel hub by a takeoff-side thrust washer and a takeoff-side axial bearing. The freewheel also has a second component, formed by an inner body, which is centered on the first component by the thrust washers, is free to rotate relative to that first component, and is supported nonrotatably on a part permanently attached to the housing such as a support shaft.
In freewheels of this type which form part of a stator, especially in cases where the hydrodynamic torque converter is used in machines such as bucket wheel loaders, the following problem occurs: It can be desirable to introduce shock-like loads such as when the loading bucket is to cut into solid ground or when the loading bucket is to be dumped all at once. These types of shock-like loads are produced by the very rapid closing of at least one clutch in a multi-step reduction gear connected to the torque converter, and they are transmitted as torque spikes to the torque converter, where they arrive at the freewheel of the stator. This can lead to malfunctions or even to the failure of the freewheel.